Vegetable and fruit canning machine



` (No Model.)

- `T.P.PLETCHPR.-

VEGETABLE AND FRUIT ANNING MACHINE.

No. 276,380 wv `Patenizef Ap1.24 ,1883.` y

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UNITED OFFICE.

THOMAS P. FLETCHER, OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS.

- VEGETABLE AND FRUIT CANNING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part oflLetters Patent No. 276,380, dated April 24, 188e.

Application filed February 24., 1883. (No model.)

ln ing Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specitication.

Figure l of the drawings is a side view ot" my machine, and Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the cylinder.

This invention has relation to machines t'or canning t'ruits, vegetables, and the like; and it consists in the construction and novel arrangement of a table having an upright or post, to which is secured the feed-cylinder having the vented' feed-funnel, the operating-lever and plunger, .the ean-tablejat its top, a can tube and bracket, and the'can-carrier beneath the feed-cylinder operated by a spring and treadle, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims appended.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, c designates the base ot' the machine, and b l) b and b posts upon which thel work-table crest-s. This work-table cis provided with a vertical flange, c', around its edges, as shown, to prevent the cans from accidentally being shoved from the table during the handling of the same.

f indicates a foot lever or Vtreadle pivotedl in bearings g, secured to the base a near the post b'.

h is a perforated guide and spring-stop secured to one face of the post b.

t 1s the cancarrier, consisting of adisk o lplate,j, at the upper end of a rod, kpwhich latter is passed down through a perforation in the work-table near the post l1" and through a spiral spring, l, the upper end of which bears against the under face of the stop-guide h, and the lower end upon a washer, m, on the treadle, and rests upon the treadle, so that it may be operated by the same to raise the disk, for a purpose hereinafter explained. The work-ta-V ble c is mortised at n to receive Vthe tenon o of adiest, p. Tothis post the feed-cylinder q is securedby straps q,and is provided with a feed-opening, g2, and is provided at its lower end with afunnel, i', the collar r' of-which is provided with an indented internal tube, s, the indentation s being at one side and communicating at its upper end with a vent, s2, to permit the escape ofthe air from the cans during the process of lling them. The bottom of' the collar r ofthe funnel consists of a convex ring, @which is adapted to lit the concavity-in the top ot' the can and prevent the escape of the material being forced into the can.

The postp is mortised above the feed-cylinder g, and in this mortisethe operating-lever u is pivoted. A plunger-rod, u', is p'voted at its upper end to the lever, and its lower end is pivoted to a strap, n, secured to the upper end of the plunger n. The plunger is provided with suitable packing to cause it to tit the feed-cylinder tightly, and thereby prevent the material being fed to the can from passing up over the top ot' the plunger.

A can-table, fw, is 4provided at the top ofthe post p, and a can-spout, w', is secured to one side ot' the post beneath the can-table and above a bracket, a2, also secured to the post 1J, so that the cans can be fed through the canspout to the bracket withink easy reach of the operator who is filling the cans. A can is removed 'from the bracket w, placed by the operator upon the can-carrier beneath the feed cylinder, the treadle operated to raise the caucarrier,whieh carries the can up and causes the funnel or tube to enter the mouth ot' the semi-cylindrical parts has been combined with a horizontal plunger, a lateral can-table at the mouth or discharge end of the feed-cylinder,

and a spring-piston, wedge, and treadle for holding the can in a horizontal position, so that the mouth of the can will encircle the discharge end of the feed-cylinder during the operation of llin g the can, prior to lmy invention, and I do not claim said construction herein. v

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a canning-machine for canning fruit, vegetables, and the like, the combination, with the work-table c and can-carrier t', restiu g normally on the same, and operated vertically by the rod 7c, spring l, and treadlef, of the postgp, the vertical feed-cylinder q, secured to one side thereof above the Work-table, the operating-lever u, and plungeru', substantially as specified.

THOMAS I. FLETG HER.

Witnesses:

LEVI A. DOANE, ADA CHARLTON. 

